Since I happen to be a kohen, I figured it would be nice to have some information about this on my website.
What is a kohen?
Kahuna is usually translated as priesthood. A person who is part of the kahuna is called a kohen.
In the times of the Mishkan and the two Temples in Jerusalem, the kohanim (priests) would perform the temple duties including sacrificing animals, offering incense, meal offerings, etc. and blessing the people with a special prayer.
The kohanim would also receive gifts from the rest of the Jews called terumah (a small portion of ones produce) and challah (a piece of dough taken off before baking a loaf of bread).
In order for a Jew to be a Kohen, he must be a direct descendant of Aaron (Moses’s brother).
In addition to being a descendant, one’s family line must be free of
“Challalim” which is the offspring between a kohen and a woman he is forbidden
to marry (see laws below).
This priesthood has been past down father to son for over 3000 years.
Laws
The laws pertaining to a kohen are too numerous to delve into here, but I will try to summarize them.
Today, since it is impossible to 100% be sure that any kohen is a “real” kohen (a true descendant whose family line is free of chalalim), kohanim today do not eat challah or terumah because if a non-kohen would eat such food, he would receive the punishment of cares, or spiritual excision, which is the worst punishment possible.
However, there is a concept called “chazakah” in which if a kohen today has a tradition that he is a “real” kohen, we assume he is for everything except for that mentioned above.
Therefore, kohanim today still bless the rest of the Jews in a service called “Birchas Kohanim”. Also, all the prohibitive laws apply to a kohen today.
Very briefly, these laws include the prohibition of a kohen to come into contact with a dead body, limb of a dead body, or even to be in the same building as a dead body.
Also, a kohen is forbidden to marry a woman who is a divorcee, or who is a Chalal.
Another law practiced today is for Jews to honor the kohanim with preference in religious duties.
DNA Evidence
Recently, using DNA statistical tests, researchers have found a gene which is shown to be much higher in kohanim then in other Jews. More on this can be read at “The Tribe” link below, and the book “DNA and Tradition”.
Links
The Tribe: The Cohen-Levi Family Heritage
Books
